From Caribbean Development Bank

Jamaica will represent the Caribbean in a stakeholders’ working group to revise the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS). Originally launched in 2004, MAPS is used by countries around the world to analyse the quality and effectiveness of their public procurement systems. Global developments in public procurement and revisions in international standards have led to the need for updated systems.

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has committed financing of USD60,000 towards the revision of MAPS. The process is being led by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Further funding will also be used to finance the Government of Jamaica’s participation in the working group, which is responsible for producing the updated tool. Currently, there is no Caribbean country representation.

“This MAPS revision will allow countries and development partners to use a modernized, common tool, when assessing and agreeing on the quality and performance of public procurement systems. Countries will also be better able to design data-driven public procurement reform programmes, tailored to their specific context. The long term goal is that countries will improve their procurement systems to meet internationally recognized standards, enabling greater effectiveness in the use of national funds,” said Doug Fraser, Head of Procurement at CDB.

The revised MAPS takes into account improvements suggested by users and stakeholders, and aims to drive the implementation of modern, efficient and sustainable procurement systems in countries around the world.

An initial draft of the revised MAPS has been produced, and comments are being invited from stakeholders across the world. The draft can be viewed on the OECD website, and will be available until October 31, 2016. A final draft version is expected to be completed during 2016 and the final version by mid-2017.

CDB’s work in public procurement has included the development of an online procurement course for Caribbean stakeholders, as well as, in collaboration with the World Bank, supporting the establishment of a Caribbean regional procurement centre, to be hosted at the University of Technology Jamaica. CDB will also host the annual Multilateral Development Banks/International Financial Institutions Heads of Procurement Meeting later this month.

The Project is consistent with CDB’s strategic objective of promoting good governance, regional cooperation and integration.

SOURCE: http://www.caribank.org/news/jamaica-represent-caribbean-working-group-procurement-reform

IMAGE: www.oecd.org